The appearance of ants around the house is never a welcome one. Hunting for any kind of sweet substance they can find, the little pests offer an annoying challenge for homeowners trying to eliminate them.

One simple and non-toxic method to get rid of ants is by using cayenne pepper. The capsaicin in the pepper acts as a strong irritant for the ants and sprinkling the fiery substance in areas that they're looking for food will give the ants the not-so-subtle hint that they are unwelcome. Pouring cayenne pepper down ant holes will also drive them away to less irritating homes.

If you're dealing with some extreme situation, you may want to call in a professional, but if it's just an everyday ant problem, cayenne might do the trick.